The Respect Foundation

The Respect Foundation is a US 501(c)3 non-profit established to bring education, identity and self-respect to illiterate farmers in rural, marginalized communities, giving the farmers the power and opportunity to raise themselves (and lead their children) out of the cycle of poverty. 

“Respect” is derived from the spirit and essence of Jamaica – it is how peaceful, good-hearted Jamaicans greet each other and it is aspirational in spirit for all humankind. In the Western world we greet each other with a handshake, typically followed by “nice to meet you <insert name>” and we then move immediately to the business at hand, or to the next person in the receiving lineup. But in Jamaica when we say “respect mon” it means “I see you, I hear you, and I respect you.” It means that we are giving our counterparties the benefit of the doubt from the start, it puts us on the same page of the “inner soul” based on compassion and respect for fellow humankind. It is not a greeting that is taken lightly or handed out simply as Jamaican’s version of a handshake, rather it is an expression of spirit and communication of a hopeful, caring and empathetic ethos.